


What Friends Are For

by AmanaMistleaf



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Archery, F/M, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Golden Deer Route, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Massage, Mutual Pining, Post-Timeskip | War Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), no beta we die like Glenn, so much pining goddamnit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-23
Updated: 2020-09-23
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:14:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26609605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmanaMistleaf/pseuds/AmanaMistleaf
Summary: Claude's shoulders are incredibly sore after target practice and Byleth offers to help.
Relationships: My Unit | Byleth/Claude von Riegan
Comments: 6
Kudos: 61





	What Friends Are For

**Author's Note:**

> I have to take the SAT tomorrow and should I have gone to sleep at a reasonable time? Yes. Did I write this fic instead? Yes.

Of all the activities Claude liked to partake in, archery was hands-down his favorite.

It kept his reflexes sharp, as quick decisions had to be made once an arrow was drawn. The complete control he had in his upper body and the toned arms it gifted him served him well in life, creating an intimidating yet somehow charming air. It allowed him to clear his head; in fact, it was the main way he blew off steam. And, he figured this out during his Academy days, it had a way of captivating both men and women (and he couldn’t help but agree that it was the sexiest form of combat).

However, was it worth the shoulder pain?

The Alliance leader groaned as he placed a silver bow on a weapon’s rack, his upper back screaming in discomfort. He’d just finished testing some new poisoned arrows of his own invention. It was a great idea in theory, to practice closer to nightfall when the training grounds were empty (mostly for safety purposes, he’d feel awful if someone was caught in the crossfire) but that caused him to lose track in time and thus worked for close to two hours with no breaks.

His shoulders were killing him. 

He tried rolling them forwards and back a few times to loosen the tension, but the loud pops and cracks told him to quit while he was ahead. He tried to reach back to rub one of the sore things but winced in pain before he could even reach it.

_Well that’s not good._

This had happened before, shoulder pain was natural to archers, but he normally was able to get herbs or potions to remedy the aches; however, Manuela was more than likely blacked out drunk at this point of the night so he was pretty much screwed.

He debated what he was going to do (and totally not thinking about poisoning himself to get out of work for a day) when he heard footsteps approaching him.

Claude bit through a hiss as his hand found the dagger he always placed on his hip until he saw who was the source of the sound. Byleth a brow as she stepped closer, her mint green hair kissed by the moonlight and _of course,_ wearing her casual clothing which consisted of black shorts and a crop top that showed off her abs.

“Oh, it’s just you, Teach.” The man relaxed, instinctively rolling his shoulders back to fix his posture, causing him to what he would deny was a whimper.

His best friend stopped before him, crossing her arms. “What are you doing out so late? And why do you sound like a wounded animal?”

Knowing he can hide literally nothing from her, he sighed. “‘fraid I practiced too long and now my shoulders are paying the price,” he chuckled. “And now that I think about it, so are my arms and hands. I don’t think I’ll be able to hold a quill steady for a day or two.”

Byleth rolled her eyes, a hint of a smile gracing her lips. “As if that makes any difference to your shitty handwriting.” With careful hands, she gently brushed his shoulders, biting her lip in apology as he drew in a sharp breath. “You already carry all your weight in your shoulders...ouch…”

He wanted to shrug so badly. “I’ll manage. I damn well wish I could reach back to at least rub them.”

Without even hesitating, Byleth gently gripped his arm, leading him over to a set of benches. “I am not going to let you go to bed with pain like that. Sit down and let me take care of you.”

Because he wasn’t an idiot, he didn’t refuse her offer; however, that did not help him from flushing like a teenager when her cool hands felt through the cloth of his shirt. “Thank you, my friend. You’re an absolute lifesaver.”

She made a noise of agreement behind him as she began to work at his tender shoulders, the pressure of another person’s hands already making him weak. “Tell me if it hurts, okay?”

“Will do…” They already had a very close relationship (sometimes literally). Physical touches or cuddles weren’t uncommon between them, but there was something about this that made Claude’s heart pound in his chest. It was just a massage from his best friend who he might have really strong feelings for. What’s the worst that could happen?

Him letting out a none-too-subtle groan as she pressed down on where his neck met his shoulder, apparently. He would normally want to walk off the face of the earth for making such a sound, but that was where most of his tension was held and _dammit,_ if Byleth’s hands weren’t working absolute magic on his muscles.

“This spot really sore?” 

He nodded, head lolling slightly to the side. “I’m sore all around but yes, that spot really needs it.”

She worked at it for a few more minutes before abruptly stopping, causing Claude to look back at her like a dejected puppy. “Why’d ya stop?” He tried to hide the whine in his voice but failed. 

She chewed on her bottom lip, deep in thought. “You’re _way_ too tense. This isn’t really working.”

 _Yes, it absolutely is. Please keep doing what you’re doing forever._ “What?” 

She sighed, helping him to his feet. “We need to get you into the sauna if there’s any hope in loosening those muscles.”

Claude’s brain stopped.

“Y-you mean - like, together? Alone?” _Oh by the stars, this woman is actually trying to kill me and I’d die no other way._

Byleth gestured towards the exit, encouraging him to follow. “You’ll thank me later, trust me.”

“Oh, I’m going to thank you plenty.”

…

Teach was right: The sauna was the ticket.

Steam curled around him as his body turned to mush, Byleth knelt behind him on the higher bench to kneed at his shoulders. He was putty in her hands, groaning unabashedly as all the tension flew straight from his body. He’d have to repay her greatly for this -- probably a territory or two or a month-long feast. He’d work out the details later.

“Mmmmm if you keep that up, I might fall asleep,” he said as his eyes drooped, already fighting the haze of sleep. 

Byleth hummed, rubbing gentle circles all across his back. “I’ll just carry you to bed, then.”

That made Claude’s heart flip, even more warmth somehow filling him. He reluctantly pulled away the hands tending to his back and wrapped them around his front, causing Byleth to hug him from behind. “Thank you so much, By. You’re the greatest friend a man could ask for.”

The woman nuzzled into the back of his hair, giving him a squeeze. “And you’re the best friend a woman could ask for. Now,” she withdrew but made sure to keep contact with him so as to not freak him out, “let’ me take care of you, my golden deer.”

 _I am the luckiest man in the whole entire world,_ was his last thought before he drowned in her once again.

**Author's Note:**

> *realized I'm an archer who holds all my stress in my shoulders and am sore literally all the time* I'm not manifesting shut up.
> 
> Take care of your archers, people.
> 
> This is a PSA
> 
> Give them shoulder rubs for the love of h*ck.


End file.
